Cuomo sets May 5 as date for House special election

The special election in New York’s 11th Congressional District will take place on May 5, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced Friday morning, complying with a court order, demanding he pick a date by noon on Friday.

Both parties will choose their respective nominees now that the election date has been set. Republicans are expected to pick Richmond County District Attorney Daniel Donovan, while Democrats have struggled to select a candidate.

Donovan, whose office presided over the controversial Eric Garner case that ended without charges against a police officer accused in the death of Garner, whom he’d placed in a chokehold, will be heavily favored to win the Staten Island-based seat.

Although President Barack Obama won the district by 5 points in 2012, Grimm was reelected by a double-digit margin in 2014, despite being under federal indictment.

Cuomo initially declined to set an election date — arguing that, despite Grimm’s resignation six weeks ago, New York law gave him discretion to wait until he could consolidate the vote with another race in order to save money.

But some Staten Island residents filed a lawsuit, arguing that Cuomo’s refusal to set a date shortly after the vacancy occurred disenfranchised them. A judge agreed, and Cuomo said he would schedule the election before the imposed deadline.